The Kalinagos

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Transcript of The Kalinagos

Physical CharacteristicsThey were Lean and Medium HeightThey had Long Black, Straight HairThey were brown Skin They were painted with a vegetable dye called "roucou"They had flat foreheadsThey wore little to no clothes They wore plenty jewelry They men wore Feathers on their head on special occasions.Social OrganizationThe Kalinagos social organization was looser than that of the Taino; Kalinago culture emphasized physical prowess and individualism. While settlements had a leader, his authority was limited. War chiefs were chosen from among villagers based on their skill in battles. The Kalinago lived separated by gender; the men lived together in large building called a carbet, while the women lived in smaller houses. Tobacco was the standard of exchange.OccupationsThe caribs, also known as the Kalinagos, ate foods very similar to the Arawaks. They ate meat more than maize and cassava. Their seasonings were mostly pepper called; ‘Couii’ and ‘Taumalin’, These were made from pepper, lemon juice and the green meat of a crab. Although the caribs diet is not so varied, it was well balanced and prepared in different ways and seasons.This made the Caribs wiser than the Arawaks because they ate less fat but instead stuck to a more nutritious meal.

Traditional art and craft production is at the heart of Kalinago life. Perfected and handed down through many generations, creative skills include basket weaving, pottery, calabash & wood carving. They also have a traditional dance.Fishing arrows and Spears were tipped with shell and bone and battle arrows were tipped with fire and poison. Boat Building- Caribs’ canoes might have been up to 6 metres long. It was made out of tree trunks. The trunk was charred then hollowed with stone axes and left to season, after which it was buried in moist sandMigration PatternThe Caribbean Sea Could just as easily been named the “Taino Sea". The Tainos had inhabited the area first. The Caribs migrated up from the Orinoco River area in Venezuela to challenge the Tainos. After centuries of stuggle, the Caribs won of the southern half of what we now call the Caribbean.KalinagosArt and TechnologyPolitical Organization The caribs had few laws that were made up of the Trubutuli Hauthe (the village head man). He lived in a separate village. Duing the war time, each canoua (canoe) was captained by owner. One of the captains was chosen as ouboutou (Commander and chief).The carib men lived together in the village meeting house, called a Karbay, when they were undergoing warrior training. The carib women lived separately and only saw them when they would carry food for their husbands. These people slept in hammocks; they also had beds called an Amais. In the Lesser Antilles the populations were less dense, and their political and economic organization less specialized.

CustomsThe Kalinagos religious beleifs to have been Polythesis. The Kalingo religion, practiced by the Carib, had some features similar to Taino ancestor worship. The Carib believed in an evil spirit called Maybouya. Maybouya had to be placated for any person to escape harm.The buyeis (shamans) were treated with great respect as they could cast spells to keep the Maybouya pacified, as well as heal the sick with herb preparations.Also, the buyeis underwent special shaman training rather than become warriors.Ceremonies conducted by the buyeis also contained sacrifices. Tobacco was smoked during religious rituals, as is the case with the Arawaks and other Native Americans. The Kalinago religion had a tradition of keeping bones of their ancestors in their houses; believing that the ancestral spirits would look after the bones & protect their descendants.The Religious & Supersticious belief: CustomsClothingThe Caribs were mostly naked although the women wore loin cloths. They painted their body with a vegetable dye mixed with oil. Both men and women wore bracelets and/or necklaces made of shells, amber, agouti teeth, coral and seeds. They pierced their ear lobes & lips and wore decorations of fish bone in them. The men wore headdresses of parrot and macaw feathers for special occasions.HousingThe Kalinagos lived in Houses made of Bamboo and a tatch roof.Interesting Aspects of the KalinagosThe Caribbean Sea was named after the Caribs (Kalinagos) The women in Carib society were held in high esteem. However, regular raids on other indigenous groups resulted in many female Arawak captives; so that many women spoke Kalhíphon (a Maipurean language, Arawakan).The Kalinagos were believed to have conducted Cannibals.The Kalinagos invaded the Tainos various times and held the Taino women captive.